May 15, 2013

Have KC Metro Select Check Your Tire Tread Depth

Filed under: Tires — kcmetro811 @ 8:21 pm

Tire Deals Kansas City

Kansas City racing enthusiasts have probably heard of racing slicks. Now, slicks have no tread, but they give race cars maximum traction on dry MO racetracks. Insert a little water into the equation, however, and slicks can’t maintain control. Because there is nowhere for the water to go, the tire rides on top of a thin film of water and slides all over the place.

Belton street tires have treads that are designed to move water out from under the tire so that it can grip the road. The deeper the tread, the more water it can move. As tires wear they have progressively less traction on wet Kansas City roads. That means longer stopping distances and less traction in corners.

So having enough tire tread is essential for the safety of Kansas City auto owners. There have been tests comparing stopping distances of vehicles with new tires and those with worn tires. The vehicle with worn tires is still traveling at a high rate of speed at the point at which the vehicle with new tires has already stopped. That could be the difference between getting home safely and a serious accident on a surface street or expressway.

Many MO safety experts recommend you replace your tires when your tread is worn down to a depth of 4/32ths of an inch. That’s the distance to George Washington’s head when a quarter is inserted upside down into the tread of a properly inflated tire.

You may have heard of the same test using a penny. That gives you about 2/32ths of an inch of tread. The studies have shown a significant safety benefit in replacing tires with the quarter standard. Ask your appreciative KC Metro Select tech to have your tires checked to see how much life you have left in them.

Give us a call

KC Metro Select
123 Main Street
Kansas City, MO 64012

At KC Metro Select in Kansas City MO (64012) we install quality NAPA replacement parts. Give us a call at 816.267.3285. To learn more about NAPA AutoCare, visit www.NAPAAutoCare.com.

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May 8, 2013

Headlamp Replacement And Restoration At KC Metro Select In Kansas City

Filed under: Headlamps — kcmetro811 @ 11:05 pm

headlamp replacement and restoration Kansas City

Way too many accidents happen at night on MO roads. There are a lot of factors, but a big one is simply visibility: if you can’t see something, it’s hard to avoid hitting it.

There are some things Belton motorists can do to make sure they can see as much as possible when they’re driving in the dark. First of all, keep your windshield clean. Glare from oncoming headlights can obscure obstacles in the road. Clean off that film that builds up on the inside of your windshield. And make sure you have good wiper blades and plenty of washer fluid.

Now it could be that your headlights aren’t as bright as they used to be. It happens – the bulbs just dim over time. If it’s been a couple of years since you replaced your headlamps and they aren’t lighting up the road like they used to, get some new ones. They make upgraded headlamps too that give you a brighter light and a larger field of vision so you can see better and further down the road. Check with your appreciative KC Metro Select technician if you want to up your headlamp performance.

Another very common headlamp problem in the Belton area is cloudy or yellowed lenses. These days lenses are plastic and they oxidize and discolor over time. Just look at the cars in the parking lot at your Belton office building – chances are you’ll see several with cloudy lenses. This is a huge problem because some of the light coming from your headlamps gets trapped before it can even get out and shine down the road.

Replacing a set of headlight assemblies can run hundreds or even thousands of dollars in Kansas City. There’s an alternative that can save Kansas City motorists big bucks: Headlight restoration. Your KC Metro Select technician can remove the oxidized layer from your lenses. He’ll then polish the lenses until they’re bright and smooth. When he’s all finished, your lenses will be as good as new.

Any accident on MO roads and freeways is inconvenient and can be costly. And if someone gets hurt, well, that’s something you want to avoid at all costs. If you’re not confident driving at night in Belton, ask your appreciative KC Metro Select technician about headlamp replacement and headlight restoration Kansas City.

Give us a call

KC Metro Select
816.267.3285
123 Main Street
Kansas City, MO 64012

At KC Metro Select in Kansas City MO (64012) we install quality NAPA replacement parts. Give us a call at 816.267.3285. To learn more about NAPA AutoCare, visit www.NAPAAutoCare.com.

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May 3, 2013

Need A Suspension Inspection At KC Metro Select In Kansas City?

Filed under: Suspension — kcmetro811 @ 6:27 pm

Wheel Alignment Belton

Your suspension system keeps your car up off the road. From there, it’s responsible for a smooth and comfortable ride around Belton. It also keeps your minivan wheels firmly planted over bumps and through curves on Kansas City roads and highways.

Your suspension system has many vital parts that do a big job. They should be inspected for damage and excessive wear at least once a year. A good time would be when you get your alignment check in Kansas City.

Here are some warning signs of suspension problems: the minivan pulls to one side, wandering, erratic steering, uneven tire wear, leaning, shocks bottom out, poor ride or handling, oil leaking from shocks, and excessive bouncing.

Now minivan suspension parts just wear out over time. Shocks and struts eventually lose their ability to control your ride. If you’re in an accident, your minivan suspension can be damaged or knocked out of alignment. Even a minor accident, like hitting a curb, pothole or large rock can mess things up.

If you suspect suspension problems, ask for an automotive analysis and let the appreciative service advisors at KC Metro Select in Kansas City set things right.

Give us a call

KC Metro Select
816.267.3285
123 Main Street
Kansas City, MO 64012

At KC Metro Select in Kansas City MO (64012) we install quality NAPA replacement parts. Give us a call at 816.267.3285. To learn more about NAPA AutoCare, visit www.NAPAAutoCare.com.

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April 24, 2013

Fuel Injector Cleaning At KC Metro Select In Kansas City

Filed under: Fuel System — kcmetro811 @ 5:49 pm

Fuel Injector Cleaning Belton

Something we hear quite frequently from Kansas City car owners is that their fuel economy is down and their minivan just doesn’t have the pep it used to. When that happens, one of the things we look for is clogged fuel injectors.

The engine management computer tells your fuel injectors exactly when to squirt fuel into your minivan engine. It is vital that clean fuel injectors spray the right amount of gasoline or diesel fuel in a nice, specific spray pattern. A dirty injector can’t spray enough fuel and it comes out in an uneven, weak pattern.

When Belton car owners’ fuel injectors are dirty or clogged, the fuel just can’t burn as efficiently, which causes fuel economy to drop. And your minivan engine can’t make as much power.

Fuel injectors just get dirty over time. Gas and diesel fuel cause varnish and gum to build up in your fuel injectors, especially if you buy bargain gas in Belton. If your fuel injectors get too dirty, they can be damaged and need to be replaced – which can be pretty expensive.

The good news is that a professional fuel injector cleaning at KC Metro Select in Kansas City can get all that gunk out of your injectors. They’ll be able to spray the right amount of fuel, at exactly the right time, and in the right spray pattern. Your fuel economy will be restored in Belton along with your minivan engine performance. Fuel injectors are cleaned as part of a comprehensive fuel system cleaning that includes the induction system (throttle plates, intake manifold, idle air by-pass passages and, if applicable, the mass airflow sensor).

So ask your appreciative tech about fuel injector cleaning in Kansas City at KC Metro Select to get your engine running like new.

Give us a call

KC Metro Select
123 Main Street
Kansas City, MO 64012

At KC Metro Select in Kansas City MO (64012) we install quality NAPA replacement parts. Give us a call at 816.267.3285. To learn more about NAPA AutoCare, visit www.NAPAAutoCare.com.

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April 19, 2013

What

Filed under: Serpentine Belt — kcmetro811 @ 7:51 pm

serpentine belt Peculiar

All of us in Kansas City have those days when we’ve got a bunch of errands to run around the Peculiar and Lees Summit area. Suppose on your day off you need to get gas, pick up some groceries, swing by your Kansas City ATM and get the kids from school. Now you could make four trips, but that would be a waste of time and money – totally inefficient. Instead you get organized and hit the ATM first and get some gas next. Then you go to your Kansas City supermarket and pick up the kids on the way home. Way better use of your time.

Now you may wonder what this has to do with your minivan. Well, back in the day, each of your engine’s accessories, like the alternator and air conditioner, were powered by separate belts. A vehicle might have 5 or 6 belts. These days, vehicles have a single belt to run all the accessories. It’s called the serpentine belt because it snakes around everything, efficiently connecting the accessories – like bundling your errands.

A pulley attached to the minivan engine’s crank provides the power to turn the serpentine belt. The belt may provide the power for the power steering pump, which makes it easier to steer your minivan. Next comes the alternator which generates electricity to run the vehicle’s electrical system and charge the battery. On to the air conditioning compressor. This helps make cold air to keep you comfortable all summer long in Kansas City.

On some vehicles the water pump or radiator fan or the power brakes are also run by the serpentine belt. Some even have two serpentine belts. No matter how your engine is arranged, you aren’t going far without a serpentine belt. Your vehicle manufacturer has a recommended interval for inspecting your belt and your Belton technician can inspect it for damage or wear.

Finally, there is the belt tensioner. Its job is to apply pressure on the belt to keep it tight. Several years ago, auto manufacturers started making serpentine belts out of a new material. It’s much more durable, but it’s harder to tell when the belt needs to be replaced. The old style belts would crack and chunks would fall off so you could easily see when you needed a new one.

On the new style belts, if the ribs wear too deep, it’s time to replace. Your technician uses a simple gauge to tell when the belt is worn and you need a serpentine belt replacement. A worn belt stresses your minivan engine’s expensive accessories and causes them to wear prematurely.

So, change your serpentine belt and belt tensioner as recommended by your appreciative KC Metro Select technician to extend the life of your accessories and to prevent future breakdowns.

Give us a call

KC Metro Select
816.267.3285
123 Main Street
Kansas City, MO 64012

At KC Metro Select in Kansas City MO (64012) we install quality NAPA replacement parts. Give us a call at 816.267.3285. To learn more about NAPA AutoCare, visit www.NAPAAutoCare.com.

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